Christmas Lights

[glashley3]

i’m trying to film my animated christmas lights but they keep washing out. the reds and greens barely show up. what settings can i use. I’m using a tripod, i’ve tried shooting at dusk at dawn i just can’t seem to get it

[Brian]

Video or still, that's a very, very tough exposure especially with most gear.  The human eye can resolve far more detail and latitude between the brightest and darkest components than most cameras.  Because of that, you probably won't get a quick and easy solution in camera and you must rely on post processing the shot.

Forget automatic settings and go totally manual.  Under-expose the scene a bit. Import the program into your editing software and work with color correction. One trick we use in high-level production is to do multiple exposures of a scene and then composite them back together in editing.  I've worked on commericals where we had 5 or 6 exposures of a landscape that get combined into one stunning shot.  Think HDR for video.  

Even with the best gear, it's not an easy shot so drink some eggnog, take your time and have fun.

[Joseph]

Christmas lights and fireworks are some of the hardest challenges for a video camera. If your camera has settings for fireworks or night shot, you might try those. Otherwise, what Brian suggested is likely your only option. And sadly, the only other think I can recommend is to lower your expectations. Christmas lights just never look that good on video. 🙁

[glashley3]

LOL, thanks. I think I need some stronger eggnog 

[Author]

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